


Wife, Interrupted

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-09
Updated: 2014-04-09
Packaged: 2018-01-18 17:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1436683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“When was the last time someone who interested no one became the subject of tall tales?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wife, Interrupted

“I didn’t mean to startle you.” he stepped out of the shadows. “I just wanted a bit of evening air. It’s a lovely evening.”

“I agree.” Erin said, smiling some. “Actually I was looking for a place to drink and smoke and peace for just a while. Never imagined 14 or so people could be so overwhelming. I do this all the time.”

“I can tell.”

“How do you mean?”

“Your poise and grace are a dead giveaway.” He replied, reaching into his suit jacket for a cigarette case. “One is either born with it or isn’t. The eye can be tricked if the person has dedicated enough energy to getting everything just right. Who has that kind of energy in this town?”

“I surely don’t.” Erin shook her head.

“Cigarette?” he opened the case.

“Thank you.” she slipped it between her lips as he took a sterling silver lighter from his pocket. He lit her cigarette and then his own.

“We might be the last few nicotine renegades in this town.” He said. “Everything is forbidden now.”

“Considering what goes on behind some of these doors and curtains,” Erin said. “Cigarettes are the least of their worries.”

“Right?” he laughed, rich and smooth like mousse. “Soon all of us social smokers will be locked away in an underground bunker with everything else deemed taboo.”

“The secondhand smoke should kill us off rather quickly. I'm Erin Strauss.”

“So that’s what the E stands for.” He smiled as he shook her hand. He was glad to do it so he wouldn’t touch the pendant around her neck. It was beautiful. It wasn’t as beautiful as she was but drew more attention to her. Diamonds on a woman were always a sight to behold. “I've been wracking my brain about it all evening. Was it Elizabeth, Edith, Evelyn, Endora…the possibilities are endless.”

“Endora?” Erin raised her eyebrow. “That’s different.”

“My mother is a _Bewitched_ fan. She’d never admit to naming my sister Elizabeth after Elizabeth Montgomery. I know the truth though.”

“Did she name you after anyone in particular?”

“I'm just Paul.” He smiled. “Paul McKeithan.”

“It’s nice to…McKeithan?”

“Yes.” Paul nodded.

“I'm not going to ask the next question.” Erin said. “I'm sure it gets to be annoying, whether the answer is yes or no.”

“It does, and the answer is yes. Is the answer to my question yes.”

“I don’t know the question.”

“Are you the Erin Strauss?”

“I want to say yes.” She took a deep inhale of her cigarette and then exhaled. “But I'm not entirely sure that I should.”

“What's stopping you?” Paul asked.

“I don’t know who the Erin Strauss is. Do you?”

“I've heard tell but I don’t want to talk out of turn.”

“Talk, turn, now.” She laughed.

“The Erin Strauss is Section Chief of the NCAVC, who single handedly brought down a mole and murderer in the Justice Department midst. She's certainly in line to be the next Deputy Director of the FBI once our esteemed colleague retires. There's even a rumor that Robin Wright will play her in an HBO tele-pic.”

“HBO? Damn, this Erin Strauss sounds impressive.”

“I’ll say.” He smiled. “She sounds like the kind of woman you want to get to know better.”

“Perhaps you will if you watch the movie.” Erin said. “Though I'm sure little in it will be steeped in truth.”

“That makes it all the more fascinating.” Paul said. “When was the last time someone who interested no one became the subject of tall tales?”

“That’s true. Still, just Erin is fine.”

“Just Erin is just perfect.”

Dave walked by twice, enough distance from the door so no one felt as if they were being watched. They were engrossed in conversation. He was smiling and it looked as if she was flirting. The energy between them crackled…anyone who got in the way might walk away with singe burns.

“I want you to tell me who that is talking to my wife.” Dave leaned to whisper in Kirk Douglas’ ear.

“What?” Kirk looked up from his conversation. He followed Dave’s eyes out of the terrace.

“Who is he?”

“Oh, that’s Paul McKeithan.”

“That’s impossible.” Dave shook his head.

“Why?”

“Because Paul McKeithan is only 15 years old.”

“He absolutely was, 25 years ago.” Kirk said. “This amazing thing happens with time, Dave. We age. Some of us are better at it than others.”

“I need to go out there.” Dave said.

“Then go.”

“I don’t want to be a raging, green-eyed monster.”

“So don’t be.” Kirk said.

“Do you have any other advice, Master Yoda?”

“Whatever you do, do not embarrass Erin. Also, dinner will be served in about 20 minutes.”

“I got it.” Dave smiled, patting the Deputy Director on the back. Then he headed for the door. Taking a deep breath, he stepped outside. “Hey there, I was wondering where you got off to.” Dave put his arm around Erin and kissed her temple.

“I just wanted to get some air.” She said.

“People were asking about you.” Dave said. 

He felt bad for exaggerating only for a moment. He felt less bad after looking Paul up and down. He was tall, dark, and handsome and wore it well. He wore it almost as well as he wore the gray silk suit. 

Now that Dave was closer, it was obvious this man was flirting with his wife. He just wasn’t sure what Erin was doing. Kirk’s words echoed in his head, ‘do not embarrass Erin’. He would have to tread lightly and assess the situation.

“Here I am. David, this is Paul. Paul, this is David.”

“Nice to meet you.” Paul shook his hand.

“I'm David Rossi, Erin’s husband.” Dave said. “I know your father.”

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Paul shook his head.

“I'm sorry?” Dave asked.

“It’s nothing.” Erin shook her head too, suppressing a smile.

“Dinner will be served in about 20 minutes.” Dave said.

“I’ll be in soon. I just need a bit more air.”

“Are you alright?” Dave asked.

“I'm fine.” Erin looked at him. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Um...”

“Sylvia Anderson is in there.” Paul said. “If you'd like to have an adventure, ask her about Ronald Reagan. You will not regret it.”

Before Dave had a chance to answer, Erin told him that was a great idea. He couldn’t help but feel that his wife was trying to get rid of him. Paul was looking at Erin and Erin was looking out into the night. What the hell was going on? Whatever it was, Dave wasn’t going to let it happen on his watch. This young man was out of his element.

“I’ll be in soon.” Erin said.

Dave didn’t want to leave but he was starting to feel like the third wheel. That was a feeling he didn’t like in the least. He excused himself and walked away.

“So, it’s not just a shield.” Paul said.

“The wedding ring?” she looked down at her hand.

“Yeah.” He nodded.

“Nope, it comes complete with a husband. He's rather handsome too.”

“I didn’t mean to step on any toes.”

“I'm sure David will get over it.” Erin said.

“And it would be completely inappropriate to ask you to dinner?” Paul asked.

“Married women still enjoy a plethora of things, including food.” She smiled. “It would be a little inappropriate though.”

“That’s a shame.”

“We’ll have dinner here tonight.” Erin said.

“Just allow me to take up a few more minutes of your time.” Paul offered her another cigarette. Erin took it from his hand.

“I have some to spare.”

***

“It seemed as if you had a great time tonight.”

“I did.” Erin smiled as she looked at him. She was driving tonight; he actually let her drive the Mangusta. It was rare but she planned to take advantage of it. “Kirk showed me around like a daughter on prom night but it was still fun. It seemed as if you didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?”

“Have a nice time. You're usually the social butterfly. You were quiet tonight.”

“Paul McKeithan seemed interesting.” Dave said.

“Oh he was. He's a political strategist, though in this town that can really mean anything. The guy who owns the convenience store where I buy my coffee in Quantico is a political strategist. But Paul did work for Bruno Gianelli at one time…that was impressive.”

“He was flirting with you.” Rossi crossed his arms.

“Yes,” Erin nodded. “He was.”

“And you're just OK with that?”

“Who in their right mind wouldn’t be OK with a man flirting with them, if that’s what they're into?”

“You're into that?” Dave seemed astonished. “You flirted back.” 

“A little…I can admit that. I wasn’t doing it to smite you, David.”

“Then why?”

“Because it was fun.” Erin laughed. It was a laugh of pure enchantment. “I hate to admit that it’s been a while since an unknown man gave me that kind of attention. He was made aware I was married but he found me interesting, so we talked. I found him to be pleasant, respectful, and engaging.”

“You found him to be hot.”

“I definitely found him to be hot.”

“Erin…”

“What?” she looked at him before her eyes went back to the road. “I’ll have you know that I also told Paul that my husband was quite handsome, which he is. Anyway, when you go to book signings, women want you to sign their breasts. They slip you phone numbers and follow you around in droves. I know there is a part of you that thoroughly enjoys that attention. I also know that you respect me and love me enough never to act on their fantasies.”

“You don’t have to watch those women throw themselves at me.” Dave said.

“Sometimes I think what goes through my head might be worse.”

“You looked amazing tonight. I'm not surprised he was enchanted with you.”

“Thank you.” Erin nodded.

“Still, I’d be OK with never seeing him again.”

“So noted.” She smiled. “You did well as the bitter, jealous husband.”

“The goal was to frighten him without embarrassing you. I think I failed.”

“Oh. Yeah, you failed.”

“You are not funny.” Dave said as she laughed. “You're not funny at all.”

“I love you.”

“I love you more, baby.”

“And the icing on the cake is that you get the real thing.” Erin said. “Paul McKeithan only gets the fantasy.”

“I get the real thing and the fantasy…I was the luckiest man in the room.”

***


End file.
